Water heater and softener



Nov. 26, 1929.. P. P. RUNNELS WATER HEATER AND SOFTENER Invefznz, Pauli?Rumzel/ y Filed July 30, 1927 Patented Nov. 2.6, 1929 UNITED STATES PAULP. BUNNELS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA,

AssIoNon or ONE-HALF To GEO. A.

SCHAAL, 0F TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA WATEn HEATER AND SOFTENER Applicationlei July 30,

The object of this invention is to provide, in a water heater fordomestic use particularly, but not necessarily so connected, means forchemically removing the derivatives of lime, magnesia, and the likewhich make the water known commonlyas hard.

Another object is to provide means for utilizing the heat stored in thewater softener, for heating a considerable quantity of cold water asfast as the latter can be drawn through the tank, after the tank full ofwater heated from the coils has been used, and before the additionalquantity could be heated by passing through the coils.

I accomplish the above and other objects which will hereinafter appear,by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1,is a vertical section of a boiler and heater embodying my invention;

Fig. 2, is a cross section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3, is a detail in vertical section on a larger scale, of the coilheater and water conduits thereto adjacent.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawing.

The boiler 1 is surrounded by two concentric shells 2 and 3, with 2 and3 which is filled with rock wool or other good insulating material.There is also a space between boiler 1 and the inner shell 2 throughwhich the waste products of combustion from the burner escape outthrough a top flue 4. At the bottom of the boiler 1 is a combustionchamber 5, near the bottom of which is a gas burner 6 which is suppliedthrough a mixer tube 7, in the usual manner.

Located above the burner 6 is a cast metal header 8, with a four-waypassage, from two of which lead pipes 9 that continue below the headerin two coils 10 that discharge into the header through the other twopassages, above mentioned. The last two passages communicate with thelower end of a percolating tube 11. The tube 11 has a top dischargeinto-boiler 1, which discharge is protected by a cap 12.

Cast as a part of the header 8 is an upper a space between the shellsmanifold above the l lhas a water outlet through a top pipe 27, 10a

1927. Serial No.209,550.

sleeve extension 13, which screws into a sleeve 14 sweated to the bottomof the tank.- Surrounding the tube 11 is a collar 15 having three legswhich rest upon the top of sleeve extension 13. The collar 15 is heldagainst 55 the sleeve by a second collar 16 forced down against'thefirst one and locked there by a` set screw.

The purpose of the collar with itslegs is to support a wire screen 17which acts as a 60 strainer to prevent the entrance of granular matterinto the header and its connected coils 10.

Below the burner in the bottom of the combustion chamber is an air inlet18, with a o5 surrounding upper flange to prevent water of condensationdropping from the coils from escaping at the air inlet.

The bottom of tank 1 is reinforced by a steel disk 19 which is brazed tothe tank bot- 70 tom, and the tank is supported from a cast base 20 onthree cast standards21.

The top of the tank 1 has a like reinforcing disk 19. Both disks 19 and19 have marginal projections through which tiebolts 75 23, here shown asthree in number, extend from top to bottom of the tank and tie theassembly securely together. In this connection it will be noted that thestandards 21 have similar extensions through which the so bolts alsopass, thereby holding the assembly from spreading.

In the bottom of the tank is a filter-bed of sea-gravel 22, as shown,and above that is a considerable deposit of commercial syntheticmineral, or green sand 40 the function of which is to soften the waterpassing through it by the removal of chemical derivatives of lime,magnesia and the like, and above thisv deposit is a water space. t' 90The water is discharged into the tank through a pipe 23', havingnumerous perforations through which the water is 'sprayed The pipe 23connects with the lower end of a manifold pipe 24 which connects through95 a branch 25 with the main. The manifold has a valve 26 between thepipe 23 and the tank, and a valve 27 in an extension of said pipe 25. iThe tank 1 flanged end of sleeve 31 is seated a cover 32 which takes thewater .to wherever it is to be used; and such source is controlled by avalve 28.

The manifold pipe -24 is extended andi communicates with pipe 27 betweenthe valve 28 and the boiler.

When itis desired to recondition the water softener chemicals of theboiler, that is done by adding salt at the top of the boiler, through anopening provided for that purpose. Salt is only added after the mineraland sand in the boiler have been thoroughly washed by discharging waterfrom the main throug the manifold pipe by properly regulating thevalves.

A sleeve 29 is screwed into a collar sweated into the hand-hole in theboiler-top. There is a cast cap 30 extending across the boiler andinsulating walls and closing the latter and defining a space across theboiler top for the passage of the waste products of combustion to theflue. on the outer end of sleeve 29, and on the which is retained by ascrew clamp 33.

The supply of gas to the burner is auto- .matically controlled by athermostat comprising a pipe 34 which extends into the`boiler 1. A pilotpipe 35 provides a constant flame at the burner to ignite the gas.

By my construction, when a boiler full of soft hot water has been used,a continued supply of cold water passed through my device will not onlybe softened in the usual manner, but, because of the great heatAretaining qualities of the sand and synthetic minerals for softeningpurposes, the heat therein will heat the new water to a temperature highenough for bathing purposes and in sufliclent quantity for severalbaths, without the delay of heating it with the heat from the gasburner.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness asregards details of construction and arrangement and as being embodied incertain precise forms, I do not desire to be limited thereto unduly orany more than is pointed out in the claims. On the contrary, Icontemplate all proper changes in form, and arrangement, the omission ofimmaterial elements and the substitution of equivalents as circumstancesmay suggest or as necessity may render expedient.

I claim:

1. The combination of a water tight boiler partially filled with a watersofteningmaterial loosely deposited therein, a water outlet near the topof the boiler, a water inlet near the bottom of the boiler, a waterheating coil,

and means for circulating the` water of the boiler and heating thecontents of the boiler by admitting the water to the lcoils from thelower end of the'boiler and discharging it from the coils into theboiler near the upper end of the boiler.

2. The combination of an upright boiler,

A cast sleeve 31 is screwedI heating coils below the bottom of theboiler,

means for heating the coils, a stand pipe receiving water from the coilsat its lower end and discharging the water into the upper part c of theboiler, a water conduit from the lower end of the boiler to the coils, apipe supplying water from the main into the lowerpart of the boiler, apipe discharge for .the water near the upper end of the boiler and awater softening material unrestrained except Aby the boiler `partiallyfilling the boiler and through which the water circulates.

3. The combination of an upright boiler, heating coils below the bottomof the boiler, means for heating the coils, a stand pipe receiving waterfrom the coils at its lower end and discharging the water into theupper'part of the boiler, a water conduit from the lower end ofthe`boiler to the coils, a pipe supplying water from the main into thelower part of the boiler, a pipe discharge for the water near the upperend of the boiler and a water softening material completely filling theboiler from the boiler bottom to a level hi her than the inlet from thewater main and the conduit to the coils through which softening materialthe water circulates.

4. The combination of an upright boiler, heating coils located below theboiler, a gas burner located below the coils, a thermostatic 'rov meansfor controlling the supply of gas to the burner, a stand pipe takingwater from the coils and discharging it into the upper ortion of theboiler, a discharge from the ower portion of the boiler to the coils, astrainer around said discharge, a pipe spraying water into theflowerportion of the boiler, a pipe discharging water from the-upper portionof the boiler, and a water softening material filling the boiler fromthe bottom of the latter to a level above the water inlet to the boilerand above the strainer.

5.v The combination of van upright boiler, heating coilslocated belowthe boiler, a gas burner located below the coils, a thermostatic meansfor controlling the supply of gas to the burner, a stand pipe takingwater from the coils and discharging it into the upper portion of theboiler, a discharge from the lower portion of the boiler to the coils, astrainer around said discharge, a pipe spraying Water into the lowerportion of the boiler, a pipe discharging water from the upper portionof the boiler, and a water softening material filling the boiler fromthe bottom of the latter to a level above the water inlet to the lboilerand above the strainer, a heat insulating f PAUL P. RUNNELS.

